Memories
by FlyAndDontLookBack
Summary: A tribute to the finale of Kuroko no Basket. Kuroko finds an old picture on his 30th birthday and remembers the good old days. What he doesn't know is that those days just might come back. one-shot.


**Late update, I know. Few reasons for this:**

 **1\. I just got on a 14 hour plane from New York to Korea and it took me forever to get to a computer to upload this.**

 **2\. I wanted to wait until the final episode of KnB came out to upload this but it's fail since it's not been out yet (tears)**

 **Anyways, this is a tribute to the finale of KnB (the anime obviously) and I really hope you like it.**

 **I wouldn't say this is an emotional fic in any way but then again, it's not really angst so I don't really know anymore. My friend said it was feels but I don't feel it. Tell me in the reviews what you think.**

 **Now, let's just pray that they make _Extra Game_ into a KnB movie (and I really hope Nash is burned to the ground)**

 **Also, did anyone know about the special episode for KnB that comes out around Christmas? Who's excited? This girl right her!**

 **Remember to check out my other stories and also check out the poll for my _A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words_ story.**

 **So, without further ado, here is the story :)**

* * *

"Happy birthday, Kuroko-sensei!" The kids yelled loudly as a thirty year old man with shocking teal hair and pale skin walked into the room. The man was obviously surprised because he took a few steps back with his heart to his chest and his eyes widened. The kids laughed at his reaction and the man, after recovering, smiled at them warmly, opening his arms to give them all a hug. The kids, of course, complied as they immediately ran up to him and buried their faces onto body of their favorite kindergarten teacher. He, in return, gave them all a squeeze back. The other teachers, who were in the back, gazed at the scene and chuckled to themselves as the kids scrambled back to give the man the final surprise.

A girl with beautiful gold eyes rushed to the back and with a help of a few friends, they carefully took out the cake they had made yesterday with the teachers and walked back to the where the man was. His eyes widened once more as the girl smiled and gave him the vanilla cake. He then choked up and all hugged them once more.

"Thank you." He whispered as the little ones all smiled and high fived at their birthday success.

* * *

Kuroko Tetsuya was officially a teacher, or more specifically, a kindergarten teacher. Actually, he was officially one when he got out of college at age 23, but that was beyond the point. He had always loved children and the opportunity had come up after seeing a sign asking for help in a local kindergarten. After that first experience, he knew what he had to become. The moment he got out of college and even got lucky to obtain a degree, he immediately applied and got accepted with open arms. It was also the last time he got to see his friends, both old and new.

They had all gone their separate ways after graduation, both in universities and jobs, and he wondered when was the last time they had even gotten to talk. Most were out of the country, as he recalled, and others had stopped contacting him due differentiating schedules. In a way, it made Kuroko utterly depressed but knew it couldn't be helped.

Right now, celebrating his birthday with the children was good enough.

* * *

"Kuroko-sensei, here's your present!" A boy with glasses yelled with the others as he held up an old photograph. Kuroko turned his head to look at it and his breath hitched as he realized just what the boy was holding.

"Where did you find this?" He asked in awe. He had spent days searching for this photo after misplacing it somewhere in the kindergarten. Now it was right in front of him.

"In the closet with the brooms. We found a few days before and we wanted to surprise you." The boy said triumphantly and Kuroko ruffled his hair.

"Thank you. I was looking for this."

"Who are they, sensei?" The girl who had given him the cake asked. The others noticed what was happening and gathered around the man.

Kuroko took the photograph from him and smiled tenderly, examining each face with soft eyes. He then remembered that he was still in kindergarten and saw faces of curiosity.

"These are my friends." He said and the children's faces lit up.

"Sensei, you look so young here!"

"The one with yellow hair is really handsome!"

"Ew, cooties!"

"Sensei, is the purple hair really tall or is it just the picture?"

"He's munching on my favorite chips!"

"Ganguro! I spot a ganguro!"

"Sensei, Kashiwaka said a bad word!"

"Eh, aren't those the glasses I wear? Sensei, the green hair is stealing my glasses!"

"Idiot, it's only a picture! He can't steal your glasses!"

"What's the thing the red hair's holding, sensei?"

"Everyone, calm down." Kuroko piped up and the children instantly stopped to listen. Kuroko patted the boy with heterochromatic eyes, one brown and one hazel, and chuckled.

"It's called a basketball." He answered and the children oohed. He then remembered one lying around somewhere and went to fetch it. Once he did, the children swarmed around him to get a touch of the mysterious object.

"Let's go outside. I'll show you how to use it." And with that, Kuroko Tetsuya's birthday continued with a lesson about the love for basketball.

* * *

' _Tetsu, meet me at the basketball court at about 2.'_

Kuroko groaned as he turned to see the beeping noise coming from his phone. When he read the text message, he gave out a small smile and answered with a simple ' _ok'_. A reply immediately came back.

' _Tetsu, you bastard, is that the only thing you have to say?'_

Kuroko chuckled slightly.

' _Is there anything else to say?'_

' _I don't know. Give me something like,_ 'Of course, Aomine-kun, I will definitely go there and marvel at your presence as soon as I see you,' _or something like that.'_

' _Why would I say that, Aomine-kun?'_

' _Cuz I'm obviously awesome.'_

' _Is that so?'_

' _Is it weird that I can hear your sarcasm?'_

' _I will see you there, Aomine-kun.'_

' _I see, I get it. You don't want to talk to me anymore. I'm hurt.'_

Kuroko decided not to reply to that, still chuckling at Aomine's antics and feeling a bit awkward at how this seemed so much like in middle school. This was just how they used to talk in texts back in Teiko and seeing as how it was happening in high school, when everyone had separated, was a bit new to him as well as making it heartbreaking.

Just as he was about to get up and get ready, another beep sounded. He opened it and eyes widened in realization before he closed them and laughed, a smile evident on his face.

* * *

' _Happy birthday, Tetsu.'_

* * *

Kuroko Tetsuya walked silently to the basketball court, invisible as always, just as 2 in the afternoon stroke in the clock. When he arrived, he saw that it was barren with no one in it, and wondered if he came too early. He checked his watch and saw it was exactly 2 and looked around to see if Aomine was here yet.

He sighed and realized that he should have known not to come on time. It was Aomine, for crying out loud. He had a tendency to be late for everything, from classes to practice, so why on Earth did Kuroko think that Aomine would be on time for this?

He decided to wait. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence, waiting for Aomine. He had done this many times in middle school, where Kuroko would wait for Aomine and when he actually came, he would scare him to death with his misdirection.

Most of the times, he only had to wait five to ten minutes tops. But today, Kuroko waited for more than 20 minutes with the chilly wind hitting his back. His eye twitched and wondered if it would have been better to just spend his Sunday afternoon with his grandmother.

Then, he heard it. Aomine's voice calling out to him. He whipped his head to that direction and saw in surprise that Aomine had come with other people. People that Kuroko knew so well.

The first one to hug him was none other than Kise Ryouta, the famous part-time model and even more famous basketball player. It looked like he was eating Kuroko from an outsider's view and Aomine had to pry him away in annoyance.

"Oi, Kise stop it! You look like you're eating Tetsu!" As Aomine was saying this, however, another person decided to take that chance to take over the hug.

"Tetsu-kun!"

The pink haired beauty squeezed Kuroko tightly, her chest beginning to cut off Kuroko's air supply and Aomine had to do the same thing he had done to Kise.

"Satsuki, let go!"

"Mou, Dai-chan, you're so mean." She pouted as Aomine detached her from Kuroko.

"Mean? How the hell am I mean? You were the one who was about to kill Tetsu!"

"Now you're just exaggerating." She commented but refrained from hugging her beloved 'Tetsu-kun' any further.

"Sup, Tetsu?" Aomine finally greeted and Kuroko acknowledged the greeting before jabbing him by the side. Aomine spluttered as he held his side in pain.

"What the hell, Tetsu? Is that how you greet someone?" He yelled but it didn't faze Kuroko as he looked at the tanned ace blankly.

"You came late, Aomine-kun." He said simply.

"Tetsu, you bastard. I'll have you know it was because of Murasakibara that we were late." He explained and Kuroko looked at the purple haired giant, having an idea why it was his fault. Surely enough, Murasakibara had two bags full of snacks and candy.

"Sorry, Kuro-chin. Needed a refill." He slurred with a happy gleam as he opened a bag of chips. Kuroko sighed mentally and greeted him.

"Nice to see you again, Murasakibara-kun."

"You too, Kuro-chin." He replied and Kuroko looked at the remaining two, Akashi and Midorima. Midorima stepped up first and held out a wrapped present. Kuroko looked at it for a second before glancing back at Midorima.

"Thank you Midorima-kun." Kuroko said fondly and Midorima shoved his glasses up, covering the blush of embarrassment.

"Today's lucky item for Aquarius is a gift." He gave an excuse and Kuroko merely smiled.

"Hello, Kuroko." A voice from behind then said and Kuroko saw Akashi with his two red eyes.

"Hello, Akashi-kun."

"Oi, where's my greeting?" Aomine's voice could be heard in the background with Kise and Momoi snickering.

"Happy birthday." Akashi grinned and thus began Kuroko's surprise birthday party.

* * *

Or as he recalled later on, the memory of their renewed friendship.

* * *

"Is everyone ready?" Momoi called out as she set up the camera stand she had brought in for this occasion. The others were getting ready to pose for the camera, with Kise showing off his model skills and Aomine obviously getting annoyed by it.

"Oi Kise, stop acting like a model and just fucking pose!" Aomine exploded and Kise merely laughed.

"Eh, but Aominecchi, this is my nature!" Kise responded as he made another good looking pose. Red ticks appeared on Aomine's head as he was very close to choking the blonde.

"Dai-chan, stop looking like an old granpa and get ready!" Momoi shouted and Aomine glared.

"Who's looking like who now?" He growled and more wrinkles appeared on his face. Momoi shook her head, giving up on trying to tell him. Akashi looked at the scene in amusement and walked closer to Kuroko, who at the moment, was still recovering from the basketball match in the sidelines.

"I had forgotten how intense it was when we played." Kuroko commented as Akashi got closer. Akashi smiled and patted him on the back.

"Are you saying that Seirin's training is not intense enough?"

Kuroko shook his head. "No, it's not that. It's just the way we played today. It seems like we went back in time to when we were in Teiko, doesn't it?"

"Are you feeling nostalgic?" Kuroko made a Kuroko-like face.

"You can't answer a question with another question, Akashi-kun."

Akashi chuckled slightly. "Yes, it does seem like we went back to middle school. Do you feel nostalgic playing like this again, Kuroko?" He then asked and again Kuroko nodded slowly.

"Yes, I do."

"But?"

Kuroko hesitated before answering. "But for some reason, I feel sad."

"Sad?" Akashi echoed and Kuroko nodded, eyes downcast. "Why?"

Kuroko shrugged. "It just makes me feel like we can never go back to the past, before the split ever happened. We were very happy back in middle school, but seeing this now, I just can't help but feel that this experience is going to be tainted by what happened. Even if we do this, what happened in past can never leave our memories. We can never erase the past."

Akashi was silent as Kuroko's words hung in the air. The others were bickering as always, so it was evident that no one else heard it but him. Then, he spoke.

"Who ever said that the past _can_ be erased?" He asked and Kuroko looked up, a bit startled.

"Akashi-kun?"

"It is true that our sins can never be erased and the past can never be rewritten. It was also true that we can never go back to the past and try to make everything right. But that's all in the past, isn't it?" Akashi said with determination and Kuroko looked back down, pondering his words.

"Kuroko, have you ever heard of the saying, ' _Time flies over us but leaves its shadow behind'_?" He then asked and Kuroko tilted his head, confused.

"No, I don't think I have."

"It was said by none other than Nathaniel Hawthorne. And what he meant by this is that time may keep moving forward but the past remains as well. We can try to forget it as much as we can but that doesn't mean it's not going to be there. The only way to mend a broken relationship is to keep moving forward and fix it now, not in the past."

Kuroko was silent for a second before smiling. "The past can never be rewritten after all, right, Akashi-kun?" He quoted his long awaited friend and Akashi smiled with him.

"Exactly."

"Guys, come on! The camera's all set and we have to do this before Dai-chan murders Ki-chan!" Momoi yelled at the two and Akashi held out a hand to the phantom sixth man.

"We can fix the bond today, you know? We can all write the future together." He added as he helped Kuroko up. Kuroko lips rose in a warm and carefree smile.

"I believe we have already started." He responded and they both hurried to the camera. Kise was still laughing at Aomine's angry face while Midorima pretended to not know the two. Murasakibara was happily munching on his snacks and Momoi put the finishing touches on the camera.

She then rushed towards the group and pushed Aomine off Kise, telling him to pose. Kise, at the last second, pushed Aomine to the back and victoriously marked his spot, which was next to none other than Kuroko. Murasakibara and Midorima, the two being the tallest of the group, stayed in the back and Akashi took his place to Kuroko's left. Aomine started yelling at Kise _("Kise, you bastard!")_ and said person, in turn, took Kuroko's arm and placed it next to his. Murasakibara was still chewing on chips and couldn't help but look down to where Kuroko was at. Midorima, being the tsundere he was, still pretended not to know who these people were, but at the last second, he smiled. Momoi and Kise smiled, showing their teeth, and Kise even gave out a thumbs up. Akashi took the basketball in his hands and smiled as well, his eyes showing more emotion than his lips. And Kuroko, surprised at the sudden contact, looked at Kise with curious eyes.

The camera went snap with the flash and the memory was created.

* * *

"Kuroko-sensei, this is so fun!"

"I want to play more!"

"Kuroko-sensei, teach me how to dribble again!"

"Sensei, you're so cool when you pass! You just disappear!"

The children all commented as Kuroko showed them the basics of basketball. He dribbled, passed, and even shot a basket in his own unique way as the little kids all watched in awe. Then, he taught them fundamental techniques as well as pointers to make it slightly easier for them to play.

"Sensei, can you show us a dunk?" A boy with slightly darker skin than most then asked and Kuroko was a bit bewildered that he knew what a dunk was.

"How did you know what a dunk was?" He asked the boy and just as he was about to answer, the kids swarmed him with questions.

"Sensei, what's a dunk?"

"Is it also something you can do with the basketball?"

"Is it cool when you do it?"

"Can you try, Sensei? Can you?"

"Calm down now." Kuroko pacified the children and went back to the boy. "How did you know?" He asked once more and the boy got excited as he started jumping around.

"I saw a program where they showed a basketball game and there was this one person who went to the hoop and just smashed it down! It was so cool and the people talking said it was an 'amazing dunk'!" He explained, trying to imitate what he had seen. The other children who had been listening all stared in amazement and started copying what he was doing.

"Sensei, am I doing this right?"

"Is this a dunk?"

Kuroko chuckled at the children's antics and calmed them down.

"You're absolutely right, Aikawa-kun. A dunk is when a player takes the ball, jumps to the hoop, and instead of throwing it, they 'smash' it in, as you said it." Kuroko defined.

"Sensei, can you do it?" The tallest boy in the class asked and Kuroko sadly shook his head. The children all whined, asking why.

"Unfortunately, Sensei's specialty wasn't dunking." He started saying.

"Yeah, it was passing, and boy was he good at it." A new voice cut off and Kuroko whipped his head to the back, recognizing that voice anywhere. His eyes then widened at the group that was standing in front of them. He started to back away, completely and utterly astonished at the sight bestowed upon him, and accidentally tripped on his feet, making him fall to the ground.

"Eh, Aominecchi, you completely took away my spotlight! I was going to say something first!"

"Idiot, too late." The man answered, pushing the bubbly man away from him, and walked up to Kuroko Tetsuya with his hand held out. Kuroko took it hesitantly, still unable to believe his eyes, and was instantaneously pulled up.

"Hey, Tetsu, how you been doing?" Aomine Daiki greeted with his familiar smile and everyone stepped up. They gathered around and hugged him sincerely, and Kuroko Tetsuya couldn't help but cry.

* * *

"Is everyone ready?" The pink haired beauty, also known as Momoi Satsuki, called out and the others nodded. The children were sent back inside the kindergarten but were watching intently from outside the windows.

They had just seen an unbelievable sight, with the six people playing basketball amazingly. Unfortunately, they were then ushered inside by the teachers after the ball had almost hit one of the child's faces. Of course that didn't make them want to go back inside but when Kuroko ordered them, they had no choice.

Now, they were locked up in the building but all gazed at the scene that had the invited strangers pose in front of a camera.

"Were you all planning this from the start?" Kuroko asked while Momoi was still fidgeting with the camera, cursing the heavens that they made technology too difficult these days.

"Not really." Aomine shrugged.

"Then how did you all meet and come here? Kise-kun, I thought you were somewhere outside the country because of your piloting job."

"They gave me a month off because I was working too hard. And there was also the fact that the training stewardess' couldn't concentrate when I was around." Kise said and was smacked by Aomine.

"Don't sound cocky, bastard."

"That hurt, Aominecchi! Is it my fault they couldn't focus?"

Kuroko decided to ignore their bickering and looked at Midorima.

"Midorima-kun, what about you? How did you make it here?" He asked curiously and Midorima pushed his glasses off. Kuroko noted that his left hand no longer had tape, though he could still spot Midorima's lucky item, which was an ugly blue necklace, hanging around his neck.

"Even doctors need a day off, Kuroko. Coincidentally, my day off was on your birthday." Midorima explained and Kuroko gave Midorima a pointed yet friendly look. His tsundere tendencies were still there.

"Murasakibara-kun?" He then proceeded to ask and Murasakibara looked down to Kuroko. He smiled and patted Kuroko's hair, annoying the smaller man.

"I just came back from Europe and was going to get snacks when Mine-chin tried to arrest me."

"Excuse me?" Kuroko asked, uncomprehending.

"Mou, apparently my car wasn't parked right and he was writing up a ticket even though he was on his day off. Policemen are scary." Murasakibara drawled and Kuroko shook his head. Murasakibara was still the purple haired baby giant, even though he was now a renowned pastry chef.

"And you, Akashi-kun? How were you able to come?" He turned to Akashi and the monochromatic red head smiled.

"You forget, Kuroko. As a professional shogi player, I have a lot of time on my hands."

"But I thought there were shogi matches today."

"They all forfeited once they found out I was to be their opponent."

"Ah, of course. Why am I not surprised?" Kuroko said, smiling, and Akashi smiled back.

"There! I think I got it!" Momoi cheered and set the timer to 15 seconds. She rushed to be with the group and at the last second, pushed Aomine out of the way. Kise then took that chance to push him to the back and smirked when he claimed his spot next to Kuroko.

"What the fuck? What the hell, Kise, Satsuki?" Aomine shouted and then scratched his head. "Wait, why the hell does this feel like Deja vu?"

"Because it is." Momoi answered while sticking her tongue out. Aomine growled and was ready to pounce on the two idiots in front of him.

"Idiots." Midorima murmured. "If anyone asks, I don't know you people."

"Now, now, Mido-chin, don't be such a tsundere. We know you love us." Midorima had nothing to retort and only spluttered. Then, he proceeded to argue with the tallest of the group, and it was falling on deaf ears.

"Akashi-kun?" Kuroko said in midst of the chaos and Akashi hummed.

"Yes, Kuroko?"

"Promise me something."

"Of course."

"Let us all keep writing the future together, regardless of what happened in the past." Kuroko declared and this time, everyone was close enough to hear Kuroko's words. They became quiet for a second before all smiling at the teal-haired man.

Akashi only hummed once more and Momoi warned that the 15 seconds were almost up and they better pose because she wasn't going to work the camera again. Murasakibara still had his chips with him, Midorima gazed aside with a small smile on his face, Aomine was still pissed at the Kise and Momoi, said people merely smiled as Kise held Kuroko's arm spontaneously and made a thumbs up, Akashi gave out a small smile of his own, and Kuroko, this time, was ready for Kise's involuntary touch and smiled brightly with the rest of his friends.

The camera went snap and with a flash and another memory was created.

* * *

" _We have already started."_

* * *

 **Clarification time (for the last bit)**

 **That was Akashi talking, telling Kuroko but mostly talking to himself that they have already started writing the future altogether :)**

 **Kind of makes this fic an AkaKuro so I tried my best to put in everyone in as well.**

 **Anyways, let us cry tears for the end of Kuroko no Basket (the anime) and be happy at the same time that we went through such a great ride together. I will still be uploading KnB fics, so don't worry!**

 **That's it for me and please await my next update, which will probably be _A Colorful World_!**

 **Peace,**

 **FlyAndDontLookBack**


End file.
